Getting Cozy and Giving Thanks November is an important month for our country. It’s a month of freedom and expression. It’s a month of giving thanks to the men and women who’ve served our country in the military. And it’s a month to celebrate the unity between the Pilgrims and Native Americans—a spirit of giving that is the core of America’s foundation. I’d like to give thanks to the many authors who’ve visited the Cozy Corner this year and shared their talent and heart-filled stories that give so many readers a break from the pressures of the daily grind. This week we have three special authors who’ve gone one step further in the spirit of giving, and have shared three great recipes for you to add to your holiday feast. Three different tastes, three different cultures coming together to bring your family a cozy holiday feast. Enjoy! THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE by Rebecca Adler Taste of Texas #2 Tex-Mex waitress and part-time reporter Josie Callahan is about to serve up some Lone Star justice in this spicy Taste of Texas Mystery from the author of Here Today, Gone Tamale. Tourists are pouring into the town of Broken…

I’ve always wanted to rock climb, and when I studied the skill, I realized rock climbing and scaling heights with my hero had a lot in common. Both require a struggle against odds, guts, stamina, techniques, and training. So I compared the two arts, and this is what I discovered. Training: Your hero is constantly in training. How else can he change and grow into a better person? But don’t have him climb any higher than he needs to. He also doesn’t climb to the top the first time out. Every skill is done in steps. Through each scene, he becomes wiser and moves ahead so that by the time he reaches the climax (peak), he’s ready for the task. Remember your hero is human (unless you’re writing fantasy or sci-fi). In rock climbing, the person is either bouldering, which means he’s experienced and doesn’t use a harness, or he’s belaying, which means he uses a harness. Whatever the skill level of your character, give him the training to complete the task. Learn from an experienced climber: Your hero learns from experience, wisdom, and other people. Show his motivation from who and what has influenced his life’s decisions. Delve into…

The idea for LEFT AT THE ALTAR came to me in a rather unexpected way. Several of our antique clocks needed servicing and so we called a clock repairman to the house. The horologist was a writer’s dream. He was full of fascinating stories about clock collectors. But the story that really made an impression was the one about a client who owned so many clocks, the quarter-hour racket was deafening. The horologist’s job was to turn the clocks off before each holiday so that guests didn’t have to compete with the cacophony of bongs and chimes during dinner. The horologist went on to explain that prior to 1883, the town jeweler usually determined the time. Trouble arose when a town had more than one jeweler and no one could agree on the time. One town in Kansas reportedly had seven jewelers and therefore seven time zones. Just think, a person traveling from the East coast to the West would have contended with more than a hundred times zones. That wasn’t a problem when traveling by covered wagon, but it became a huge problem when traveling by train. Ah, sweet inspiration. Before I knew it, the town of Two-Time, Texas…

Oh, Christmas! As an adult, the holiday is my favorite because of the natural good cheer and festive nature around every corner. I find myself a little more patient when waiting for a car to back out of a parking spot. I tend to move through life at a slower pace and enjoy the decorations in stores and around town. I adore attending Christmas parties and parades. However great all this is, it does not capture the essence of why I fell in love with Christmas as a child. I come from an extremely large Italian family—we LIVE for holidays and family gatherings full of fun, laughter, games, and great home cooked food. Christmas was always the holiday that everyone came to, no matter how far away you lived or if you had other family to visit. It was a tradition—and no one thought to displease my Noni and Papa. And so, we gathered at what felt like 10am and spent the entire day and late into the night at my grandparents’ house enjoying ham, turkey, raviolis, fresh rolls, and all the fixings. My mom would later correct my childhood memories by saying we arrived at about 3pm on Christmas…